Cots, wipes and a helping hand: How Coventry baby bank is changing lives

Situated in a quiet close in Coventry, is a place that is fast becoming am emergency support centre for struggling parents.

Meet Baby Godiva. It's a baby bank - a dedicated centre run by volunteers that provide essentials for young families.

It relies solely on donations and is a vital source of help for struggling families, helping those with children from birth to 12 months.

The brainchild of Isabelle Edgar-McCabe, it only started in May but has already supported dozens of families.

A family is measured as living in poverty if their household income is below 60 percent of the median income.

In the St Michael's ward of Coventry as previously reported, 52.7% of children are growing up in poverty, one of the worst rates in the UK.

How did Baby Godiva start?

With a toddler and seven-month-old, Isabelle has far from a quiet life, but said she felt compelled to do something after she heard of families attending the same hub as her that were struggling to afford essentials.

"I couldn't stop thinking about it. Food banks do exist and offer baby supplies if requested, but I found in Coventry there is no dedicated baby bank that caters for struggling families."

In what can only be described as grassroots level organising, Baby Godiva has a business plan, a team of volunteer mums (dads are also welcome) and a thriving Facebook page.

It has nearing 1,000 followers on Facebook.

Childcare and money

Isabelle's phone rings constantly, with key workers from local family hubs picking up supplies for struggling families in the area.

"Everyone comes through referrals. My view is that everyone struggles at some point, I remember struggling myself, and we're here to help."

How can you help?

Isabelle has built a flourishing support network from the ground up, with Baby Godiva operating out of her front room (and satellite storage spaces across the city).

However she is running out of space and is relying on the good will of her neighbours and friends as storage solutions.

The organisation is now looking for a suitable warehouse or storage facility to store their growing supplies.

There are currently drop-off points in Courthouse Green, Willenhall and Keresley End.

All the details of how to help can be found on the @BabyGodivaCoventry Facebook page.

What donations does the Baby Bank need?

Baby Godiva urgently needs donations of formula milk and nappies.

Other items that can be donated include:

Cots or Moses baskets (with mattress)
Cot and moses basket linen
Coats or pram suits 0-12 months
Bottles (without teats or new boxed teats)
Sterilisers
Cotton wool
Flannels/washcloths
Baby hats, scratch mitts
Baby blankets
Muslin cloths
Maternity items such as pads, disposable underwear and breast pads
Travel systems or prams
Unopened and in date baby food

Why do Baby Banks exist?

There are now one hundred baby banks in the UK.

From school breakfast clubs, to food banks, and stories of teachers washing uniforms, pop up help centres like Baby Godiva are fast becoming regular sources of support for families.

Nappies are just some of the items you can receive

Last year, Anne Longford, the Children's Commissioner for England wrote that "the move to Universal Credit is having an apposite effect of their original intentions - with devastating consequences".

For Isabelle, her motivations centre on the need that is out there and she prefers not to cast an opinion on why demand on her baby bank has grown exponentially.

Our interview wraps up quickly - she has to collect her two young children and start packing parcels for what she knows will be a busy day tomorrow.

Isabelle also returns to work from maternity leave imminently. This may be the first baby bank in Coventry, but for Isabelle it's just another day in the office.

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